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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26772460">Space Odyssey</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valaena_the_Historyteller1/pseuds/Valaena_the_Historyteller1'>Valaena_the_Historyteller1</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Space, End of the World, Gen, New Planets, Outer Space</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:01:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,344</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26772460</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valaena_the_Historyteller1/pseuds/Valaena_the_Historyteller1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When the star fell, the world started to get more and more inhospitable. Because of that, groups of ingeneers started to work on space travel as an alternative to avoid human extintion. As a part of those ingeneers, Fëanor got a chance to escape the dying planet with his family. But something happened in the trip that wasn´t planed. Now they and other refugees are trapped. What is going to happen to them?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anairë/Fingolfin | Ñolofinwë, Eärwen/Finarfin | Arafinwë, Finwë/Indis (Tolkien), Fëanor | Curufinwë/Nerdanel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>It´s a new idea I suddenly had, hope you like it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So… you invited me here just to see the silly stars?” asked the redheaded girl, getting out of the bus. Her friend just held out his hand, helping her jump the last stairs of the vehicle. On the other hand, the boy held a picnic basket, smiling sweetly at the girl. She returned the gesture, going with him to the deserted picnic area. “You could have chosen another night, tomorrow we have school.”</p><p>“I don´t care if I fell asleep during class, the teacher never teaches us anything new” answered the boy. The girl pouted before laughing, walking after him. they reached the camping area soon, where he put the basket on the floor and opened it to put the things inside it on the grass.</p><p>“My father would kill me if he knew I´m going out so late”</p><p>“Mr. Mahtan is going to understand, he loves me. Besides, we are eight years old, more than old enough to take the bus for a birthday party” he pulled a cake from the basket, showing it to her. It was her favourite flavour, chocolate, and had bright cream letters in the middle, signalling the happy occasion. “Happy birthday, Nerdanel”</p><p>“Fëanor! I told you I didn´t want anything! Let alone a birthday party!” she said, a little bit red in the face. The other child just lighted the candles, showing the dessert towards her. “Stop it! Ada already gave me one, another will just make me fat.”</p><p>“I don´t think so, you never do despite all the potato chips you eat at school. And this is not a birthday party, it´s just a walk through the park between friends and my gift. Don´t spurn me” he put the cake on the floor, motioning for her to come sit down with him. “Make a wish, Nel, and blow the candles.”</p><p>“You fool” she did. Both children ate the little cake, taking a picture of the both of them. One in which they looked happy. Then laid down on the earth, staring at the beautiful sky over them. Her friend was right, staring at the infinite heaven was not so bad after all. In fact, it was a bit fun. “Do you think there are more planets like ours, Fëanor? Out there, in the infinite sky… could there be life as in here?”</p><p>“Should be” answered Fëanor, stretching. His body felt a little bit sore because of laying in the grass so much and wanted to move a bit. “Scientifically talking, with the vastness of the universe taken into account, it´s exponentially impossible for this being the only planet with life. There must be many more out there, somewhere, but we haven´t found them yet” he frowned. “Do you know the NASA already are developing technologies to colonise other planets?”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Of course! Father is one of the benefactors of the program and told me that once they have reached planet Alpha Centaury we will be the first ones to see the images capitated from there” he said with a smile, making the girl to do the same. “I wish I could see other planets, there must a lot of fun things to do in them.”</p><p>“But not as fun as to play with me, no?” she said, poking at him. “I also want to see those images, they are surely…” the sky suddenly started to get very bright. Fëanor and Nerdanel got closer to each other, seeing the enormous ball of fire appearing and disappearing from view. The redhead burrowed her face in his chest, feeling like a little girl again. And the need to cry. “What was that?!”</p><p>“I don´t know!!” answered fearfully the usually calm and collected Fëanor, putting his arms around her in a protective gesture, despite also feeling the need to cry for his papa. “I don´t know, but… but we have to return home straight away. That must have woken up our parents.”</p><p>“I want papa” continued the girl.</p><p>“Don´t worry, I will take you to Mr. Mahtan” he continued, grabbing her hand. She nodded, feeling safer. That was her friend, her so reliable friend she could always lean on. With him everything was going to be alright.</p><p>In the end, the boy managed to take them back to the city in one of the few cars that passed the road at that hour in time for them to sneak into his tree house and convince their parents, who had called for a search, that they have been there the entire time, sleeping after celebrating the girl´s birthday. While her artist of a father talked with the neighbours, thanking them for helping with the search so late in the night, she stared at the Noldors. Fëanor was in front of his father, making some biting comment about Indis not being his mother, throwing her a hateful glare as she retired, obviously to see little Fingolfin or Finarfin. It was obvious that there had been a few issues with that family.</p><p>“Come on, Nerdanel, time to go to sleep” her father said, taking her hand. She didn´t comment about the strange light or the trip to the camping site, just followed him and let him tuck her into bed. </p><p>“Atar?” she asked as he was exiting her room.</p><p>“Yes, sweetheart?”</p><p>“Tomorrow you are taking me to school? I´m feeling a little bit tired for walking and don´t wanna lose the first period” she said innocently, hugging her bear. </p><p>“Oh, I didn´t tell you. Tomorrow you have a free day. There had been some sort of… incident and the authorities closed school because of that” he explained, trying not to scare her. “My trip has also been cancelled, so I am going to remain here tomorrow! Does my birthday girl also like that?”</p><p>“Yes!!” she answered, raising her hands. School closed means that she got to stay at home the next day and no trip meant she got to play with atar. And she loved to play with atar. Especially when he took her to his art studio and showed her the statues. This was the best birthday ever.</p><p>But the girl soon discovered that things were not as simple as she thought. When she woke up in the morning, really late if you ask her, she went into a panic before remembering there was no school today. She got down, finding her father staring at the TV with a coffee mug on his hand. He looked really worried. And not the “I forgot some big statue exposition” kind of worried, but another… Nerdanel could not tell. Anyway, he found her staring at him and changed his face, reassuring her.</p><p>“How is my princess? Hungry? Or you stuffed yourself too much in the tree house with Feánaro?” asked Mahtan, smiling at his daughter. The girl shook her head and let him pour her a bowl of morning cereal. She ate in silence, looking at her father keep an eye on the news, not making any attempt to talk to her, like every time he stayed home with her. The sculptor caught her looking at him. “What?”</p><p>“Nothing, just…” the girl tried to find something to do to cheer him up. Surely nothing bad was happening, she told herself, after all, just yesterday was her birthday. Atar only needed her to lighten up his day. “Can we go to the workshop? I want to make statues again.” She stared at the oldest redhead. “You said I had talent.”</p><p>“Nel, I believe we should stay indoors today” suggested Mahtan, looking outside worriedly. “How about we watch some movies? Or play with your Xbox?” the little one continued staring at him with that look that announced she was feeling his uneasy. The artist sighed, inwardly cursing children´s intuition. It was worse than mother´s. “Look, Nel, the accident that occurred yesterday was worse than I imagined…”</p><p>“Is someone hurt?”</p><p>“No, but…”</p><p>“Then why is it so grave?” the young child asked, wanting to know the reason of her father´s uneasiness. It couldn´t be so bad if no one was hurt. “Come on, tell me. I´m sure it´s nothing to be worried about.”</p><p>“Nel… baby, please, just do what I tell you and go pick up a movie” the man said, rubbing his eyes. The girl did as she was told, getting to her room. She took out a film from her collection and, after a second of thought, she decided to text Fëanor with her cell phone, thanking her father for giving her the device. </p><p>Trapped in home after my birthday. Should have prolonged our escapade. How you?</p><p> Likewise. Father insist I stay home. Had to help Indis change the little bastard´s diaper and babysit the other brat for her. Hell.</p><p>Cranky</p><p>Just saying the truth. How you?</p><p>Cranky </p><p>Nel smiled before putting her cell phone back on the night table. Fëanaro was always angry for something this days, since his youngest brother was born. Maybe it was because suddenly Finwë´s attention was not only on him or Fingolfin anymore or perhaps because Finarfin demanded a lot of attention from his parents… hum, was that the reason her friend was spending more and more time with her and her father lately? Those metal statues he made were getting too good for an eight years old.</p><p>Shaking her thoughts, the little girl went down to the dinning room, finding her father watching the news even more worried. The man on the TV was talking about a meteor impact in the Pacific Ocean which took the lives of some sailors and raised a column of gas that darkened the atmosphere and left the coasts devastated with the tsunamis that followed the sudden impact. Apparently, hundredths of cities were facing devastation…</p><p>“Nerdanel!! Were you watching?” Mahtan finally noticed her staring with him. She didn´t understand much, but she knew that she could find the meanings if she searched for them in the internet, something that her father was not going to allow. “Naughty girl. Now I´m going to have to make sure you don´t touch a computer.”</p><p>“Can I still watch the movie?”</p><p>“I… I suppose… I also wanted to watch a movie, after all” the big redhead let her on the sofa, warily smiling at her, completely concealing the worrisome he was feeling for the current situation. Apparently, making sure that his little girl was happy was more important to the father than her eavesdropping on her. </p><p>“Atar, is because of the meteor that your trip was cancelled?” the man looked frozen for a second. “I heard the port cities are devastated and wasn´t your fish sculpture for a beach?”</p><p>“Oh, well… yes, that was what happened” he sighed. “Good thing they have already paid, because I they don´t, I would have to wait until they recovered for the paycheck.” He pushed her gently towards the TV. “Go, let´s see the Lion King. Or it´s Cinderella this time? It´s your favourite right now, no?”</p><p>“No, I have moved to Oliver” said the girl, putting the movie on the player. Then she had an idea. “We can invite Fëánaro over later, atar? We can prepare some popcorn and lemonade while we see…”</p><p>“Ahhh… I believe Mr. Finwë prefers he stays home right now”</p><p>“It´s because what we did last night? With the tree house?”</p><p>“No, sweethearth, it´s just that… the meteor damaged some of his factories and he had to be outside all day. Someone has to stay home and entertain Fingolfin while Indis takes care of Finfarfin, don´t you think?”</p><p>“Poor Fëánaro” said the other redhead, knowing full well what her friends thought of his younger siblings and step mother. Besides, she had enough experiences babysitting Fingolfin to know that the kid was a nightmare. Between sticking bubblegum in her hair and drawing on his older brother´s homework… well, none of the older kids stand him. “Then, can we invite him once his atar arrived home?”</p><p>“I… I don´t believe that is possible today” answered Mahtan before distracting her with the DVD player. They watched the movie followed by another in Netflix and more and more until even Nerdanel was tired of her favourites. She looked at her father, insisting that she wanted to go to his office or to the park, but the man didn´t allow her. Then he turned the Xbox on just to distract her more… what was really happening here?</p><p>“Atar, there was a star yesterday, falling to the earth. On my birthday” Nerdanel asked, worried. “That was of good luck, no?”</p><p>“Of course, my child, of course” but she could detect the lie in there.</p><p>-Ten years later-</p><p>“Today we commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Everest Impact on the Pacific Ocean” the representative of the district talked while Nerdanel clutched her bags of supplies to her chest. She had just exchanged her ration points for them and couldn´t allow for them to be stolen. Her father and her struggled enough to get them for losing them in such a pitiful way. Specially since it was her birthday and Mahtan had surely wasted his in some useless surprise for her. </p><p>Humm, her birthday. She detested that date.</p><p>When she was a little girl, it took her five days to notice that her eight one has been anything but fortunate. The morning after, the news reports were overflowed with the mystery light that crossed the sky that night. The one that she and Fëanor managed to see for a brief moment in that picnic park, which coincidentally has been a meteor. A huge meteor the size of the Everest which impacted the earth and filled the atmosphere with dust and debris, covering the sunlight. After that life for humanity had taken a turn for the worst. No light meant no plants and no plants meant no animals to eat. As always, humans gave a fight, but quickly lost much of it´s population. So much that even the rich took a hard hit. They just took less of a hit than the low and middle classes. The artists were the first ones to feel the hit…</p><p>“Atar! Are you home?!”</p><p>“Yes, Nel, I´m…!” a series of violent coughing was the next thing she heard, making her flinch. She waited until they stopped to enter, trying to appear as if she hasn´t heard anything. Her father didn´t want her to know yet, she would respect his decision. After all, he didn´t want to fight during what could be her father´s final days. Yes, he was dying, she knew and there was nothing she could do to prevent it. “Honey, are you still there?!”</p><p>“Of course” she answered, bringing their rations with her. “Look at this, I found some medicines for your cough while I was picking up the rations. The doctor says that while you take them every day, you will be okay” she said, making him smile. Both of them knew that there was no use, that his cancer was terminal, but… Mahtan was better, so… “Have you seen Fëanor today? He said he would pass through here tonight.”</p><p>“No, I haven´t” the other contested, shaking his head. “Perhaps he got distracted at work again. Those rockets shouldn´t be easy to built.”</p><p>“Father, they are not rockets, they are transborders” she answered, frowning. “They said there will be a fourth one soon, to speed up the evacuation. Can you believe it? If we are really lucky, we can be the next ones to reach the other planet...”</p><p>“Dear, it´s highly unlikely…”</p><p>“Other people got out”</p><p>“Nel” Mahtan coughed again. “You know that, despite how smart you are, we aren´t exactly what they are looking for. And only the rich people are capable of getting out right now. Everyone that had the luck of being what they search for it´s already there.”</p><p>“Then I bet they are lacking good artistic tastes, because you were the best in that” she answered, walking to his side. “I will prepare dinner now, make yourself comfortable. Fëanor is surely going to come later, so you should be attentive to the door.”</p><p>“I will”</p><p>-In other house-</p><p>“So, why the family reunion?” eighteen years old Fëanor asked as his father and step mother sat down in the sitting room with them. Fingolfin and Finarfin were playing in the same place, their toys everywhere. Apart from the rooms, it was the cleanest place in the house, so they used to take their meals or even sleep there… at least the four of them. The oldest son could never sleep so close to Indis.</p><p>“I finally got it” Finwë said calmly, putting his hands on his lap. “It was nearly all thanks to your work, son. The ships are as efficient as they are now thanks to you and our inversions allowed them to continue developing, so we have been allowed to leave for the other planet in a few months, when the last transborder is ready.”</p><p>“How many?”</p><p>“Fëanor…”</p><p>“Answer the question, how many of us are allowed to leave?” the reticence of his father to answer was all he needed. He rushed out of the room at the top of his speed, not even bothering to put on his gear. Nerdanel… he couldn´t leave her here. Not all alone. She wouldn´t make it. Mahtan neither. He was out of breath when he arrived at Nel´s home, yanking open the door despite it not being his own house.</p><p>“What the… Fëánaro?! What are you doing here?!”</p><p>“The… the transborder is almost ready” he said out of breath, not knowing how to put the things he was thinking in words. “The passengers… the passengers were already selected by… by…”</p><p>“Oh, yes, we heard” the woman waved her hand. “Apparently you have to be super rich or super intelligent to be able to afford a seat in them, something we are not. No matter, there are going to be thousands more of…”</p><p>“But… but I…”</p><p>“Yes, I thought you were going to say something about that” the man looked at her in surprise. Did she really think he was planning to leave without her? Nerdanel has been his only friend in the world since they were children. There was no way he wasn´t taking her with him. “Don´t worry, I´m sure we are going to see each other again. In a month or two, when the price of the flights has gotten a little bit down and…”</p><p>“Marry me”</p><p>“What?!” her hands were clasped by him, making her look in his eyes. She couldn´t believe it, her best friend asking her to marry him?! Really?!</p><p>“The law says that, as a married couple, if I get a seat in the transborder, you too. Or we don´t get it at all, but… but…” the blushed a bit, but didn´t let this stop him. “My father won´t part without me, he will get you your own seat on the ship. And we… we… we could settle things down when we are there. Legally, I mean. But…” he gritted his teeth. “Please, Nerdanel, I don´t want to leave you here, so… MARRY ME, PLEASE!!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nerdanel was completely frozen at the moment. Fëanáro was proposing to her, mainly to get her out of the dying planet in time. In part, she was really grateful for his worry for her, but she couldn´t accept it. There was no way she was leaving her father behind. He was pretty ill, needed her in the house, right beside him. There would be other transborders when her father was better. And Fëanor would survive without her a few months.</p><p>“Fëanor, I…”</p><p>“Nerdanel, please come with me for a second” Mahtan said, calling his daughter. Fëanor stayed in the living room, while he conducted the young sculptress towards the kitchen. “Nel, you should accept him” she opened her mouth to reply. “Please, hear me out. I know you considered Fëanor only a friend, but… I always thought there could be so much more for you two, if you give each other a chance. He is doing everything to save your life, couldn´t you try it?”</p><p>“Father, Fëanor and I have known each other since we were in diapers” she said, crossing her arms. “And even if I were in love with him, I wouldn´t be able to marry him. I can´t leave you in the state you are right now.”</p><p>“Nel, I didn´t want to tell you, but… the doctor said the cancer has spread despite the treatment” Mahtan sighed. Hearing about his own approaching death was horrible, but having to tell the bad news to his daughter himself… “Right now the only thing that helps me is the analgesic.”</p><p>“Dad”</p><p>“I know, Nel, that with more reason you want to stay by my side, but I would rest better if you were safe” he caressed his daughter´s face. She took her hand to his, drinking in his appearance. If he was not going to be on this world for long, then she better enjoys her last memories of her beloved father. “Nerdanel, I would gladly die staring into your beautiful eyes, my precious daughter, but it would be better the knowledge you are safe and happy in the other world” </p><p>“Mr. Mahtan” Fëanor appeared in the door of the kitchen, having heard the conversation. He had a sensible ear, so it was unintentional. And something he wouldn´t have wanted to know. “I´m sorry, Sir…”</p><p>“You better take care of my little girl if you marry her, boy” the man said, very serious. His tone was enough to install fear in Fëanor´s soul, something he tried to hide. Not very successfully, he might add. “Yes, tremble. Because if you hurt her, then you are going to be really sorry.”</p><p>“I know, sir” the only raven in the room answered. He looked around uncomfortable for a few seconds before regaining his ability to talk. “and… how are we doing this? I was planning to go to the civil record and asking for a marriage certificate…”</p><p>“Normally I would want something big for you, something you can remember the rest of your life. But, because of the hurry, I think it´s best we go along with your new fiancé´s plan. I will make the part of the witness… I can call someone else to be the second one.”</p><p>“Great”</p><p>“And you will need a ring, or a set of them” the younger male suddenly was dumbfounded. Was he really asking for technicalities? Did weddings still have a exchange of rings? “What? Were you expecting me to let you marry my daughter without a ring?” Mahtan crossed his arms. “I want the traditional forms, boy, with you on your knees asking Nel to marry you and you asking me permission too.”</p><p>“Dad…”</p><p>“Mr. Mahtan…”</p><p>“And an exchange of rings in the wedding too” the redhead informed the two younglings, who looked at each other in disbelieve. “What? Can´t a father have a dream? This is my only daughter´s marriage, I want it to do it correctly.”</p><p>“Dad, be reasonable, where is Fëanáro going to get a ring…”</p><p>“In fact, I have one” the raven said, blushing a little bit. “When mom was sick, she gave me her engagement and wedding rings. And when father remarried…”</p><p>“I get it. Go get them” Mahtan nodded. “Meanwhile, Nel, let´s see how your mother´s wedding dress fits you.”</p><p>Both eighteen years old blushed at the mention of the dress. Specially Fëanor. When he asked her to marry him, he was expecting a quick trip to the civil records, not the entire wedding course, but he guessed this was better somehow. It would look more formal. And make Mahtan´s day during his sickness, which was great in itself. He only wondered if he would be able to keep this a secret from his family long enough.</p><p>Anyway, he slipped back into his room without trouble. His father was probably exchanging e mails with the people in the space colonization program and Indis must be with Fingolfin I-still-play-with-dolls-at-fifteen and Finarfin stupid-blonde (of thirteen); so his room was free. He put a key in it´s place, opening a small chest where he kept his most precious treasure. He rummaged inside a few times and pulled out a jewellery box. He opened it just to check they were there… bingo. And, just for safety´s sake, he grabbed the suit he used in his university graduation three years ago. The boy excited the house through the same tree as years ago and run to Mahtan´s house in record time. </p><p>“I got them!!” he yelled once there, waving his box in the air. Nel came from the kitchen wearing an oversized robe and another hairstyle. Mahtan followed her, smiling contently. </p><p>“Well, what are you waiting for? Get on your knees.”</p><p>“Right” he kneeled in front of the girl, who blushed as dark as her hair. “Nerdanel Mahtaniel, you have been my lifelong friend and constant companion, so much that I don´t imagine a life without you. Would you do me the honour of marrying me?”</p><p>“Ye… yes” she answered, a little bit nervous while he slipped a ring on her finger. She didn´t know why, everything was set, but… she felt nervous.</p><p>“Mr. Mahtan, may I have your permission to marry your daughter?”</p><p>“If you ask that way, yes” the older redhead said, smiling at the youngsters. He then pulled a key from his pocket. </p><p>“Now get dressed and into the car, we have to get to the records. Elmo is already expecting us there.”</p><p>“Elmo?”</p><p>Elmo was a young man, probably barely young enough to work on that place, comely and friendly. He guided them to a judge. Once there, Nerdanel took off the robe, revealing her mother´s dress. It was a dream of white silk, mermaid stile. The delicate trans lucid fabric that made the neck made it both enticing and elegant along the hairpiece in her hair in place of a veil. The ring of Míriel Serindë, a stylish white gold thing with a single big diamond in the centre, in her finger was also the perfect compliment. And Nel… she was so breath-taking that the judge had to cough once to bring Fëanor back to the earth.</p><p>The wedding started with the same procedures as traditional ones did. The judge said they were there together to celebrate the union of blah, blah, blah. Then he oversaw the exchange of vows and rings. Then they signed the marriage certificate and bingo, they were married. Legally, which meant that Nel was qualified to join the colonials as a member of the Finwean family. And Finwë will have to add her to the group or risk to leave his eldest on the dying earth.</p><p>And that was exactly how they presented it to the family that same day´s dinner.</p><p>“Well” the patriarch said after hearing the tale and seeing the evidences, calmly discussing it. “I feel a little bit angry at being ostracized from my own son´s wedding, but… I guess I was already expecting something like this. Which was why I ordered an extra chip.”</p><p>“Really?” Fëanor asked, not understanding. Didn´t the transborders only accepted legal families? “Since when do you know?”</p><p>“I would say that since you ran away from our family meeting after screaming at me for leaving your friend behind, but that would be lying, obviously” he shook his head. “I guess I always knew Nerdanel would be the one for you. </p><p>"Son, she is the only girl you have ever shown interest, even if it was just to talk!”</p><p>“She… she is not the only female I have ever talked to”</p><p>“Your teachers and co-workers don´t count” Finwë added, smiling broadly. “You barely stand them and you know it.”</p><p>“I can have friends, you know” the other tried to defend himself. There was no need in reality, because there was nothing to defend in the first place, but… his father´s teasing always put him on edge.</p><p>“As I was saying” the older man began again. “I have already ordered an extra chip. And, even if it was a little rushed, now we have the means to prove that Nerdanel is a legal part of this family, so… the procedure is going to be easier.”</p><p>“Procedure?” Nerdanel asked, lifting an eyebrow. </p><p>“Don´t worry, it´s something simple” Finwë assured, trying to calm her. “All the colonials must have a chip implanted to recognize them as members of the expedition. The government team is going to be here tomorrow at four o clock to implant them on all of us. So… do you want to spend your honeymoon with us?”</p><p>“Father…”</p><p>“I know, I know, you must have another plans…”</p><p>“No, the honeymoon is going to wait until we are on the colony” Fëanor said, cutting his father. “But Nel has to take care of her father and I will stay with her to help.”</p><p>“Oh, I see” the man answered, remembering about Mahtan´s sickness. “Then can you come in time for lunch? I would like to have time to come to know my new daughter-in-law before going to space together.”</p><p>“You have known her our entire life” his son said, shaking his head. “And as a couple, we are probably getting our own room and spaceship…”</p><p>“No, you are all listed as Finwean, so you bunk with us. Now, about lunch…”</p><p>“We will be there” Nerdanel answered for her friend… husband. Woow, it was so strange to be married. “Can I bring my father too?”</p><p>“Of course, nothing will please me more” she smiled. It was great to be part of the family.</p><p>Or at least until the promised lunch. As she sipped her soup, the redhead wondered how that family managed to stay together. Fëanáro ignored completely every word that came from his step mother and half siblings in favour of Mahtan, his father or herself. Indis tried to get to him somehow, but she was met with a mighty wall of ice. Nolofinwë and Arafinwë, after finally abandoning the effort to connect to their eldest brother, chatted with her about everything under the sun.</p><p>“I think this is going on well, don´t you?” Finwë said when the clock finally reached four in the afternoon. His daughter in law looked at him strangely. How could he have considered it going well? She didn´t have time to answer, as there was a knock on the door. The patriarch answered, letting some men with gas masks inside.</p><p>“Finwean family?” the one in charge asked, opening a box with six bottles and syringes. Then he picked up a tablet to see the archive. “I see you have an extra chip. Do you have legal proves that the person in question is from your family?”</p><p>“Yes” the oldest man passed him the marriage certificate. The man revised it while his assistant prepared the instrumental. “We had to rush things a bit, but the marriage is legal.” </p><p>“Everything is in order” the man returned the certificate after scanning the paper. “Now, we begin with the head of the family and finish with the youngest” the assistant approached with the syringe in hand. “Hand, please”<br/>Finwë gave his hand and allowed the implant to enter his skin. It was quickly covered by a band aid. It was done to every member of the family until Finarfin was also wearing a band aid. Then Mahtan dared to ask if there were any risks in that space voyage they were going to make.</p><p>“Don´t worry” the official assured with a smile on his face. “Your daughter will have a good life on the colony. Better than she will have in this place.”</p><p>-Months later-</p><p>“I knew he was going to go quickly, but… I didn´t know it was going to be this quickly” Nerdanel said, putting flowers in her father´s tomb. After their wedding, Mahtan´s health deteriorated fast, so much that he ended up dying a few days before the lancing date. She didn´t know, but her father started to refuse treatment. He didn´t want to give her any reason to turn back and he didn´t have any reason to live without her, so… he decided to live the time he had with just analgesics, enjoying her to the full. And leaving before she had to choose between him and her future.</p><p>“He was happy until the end, Nel. That´s what mattered” Fëanor said, rubbing her arm in comfort. “He loved you”</p><p>“I know, I just… wish we would have more time” she cleaned her tears with a finger. “It´s so difficult to let go now…”</p><p>“I´m aware. When my mother died, I always found ways to escape home and visit her tomb…”</p><p>“Was that how you learned to escape home?” Nerdanel joked, cleaning her eyes again. The couple stayed the most they can in the graveyard before going to the car again. They have much to do. “Then… do you have a plan for our last day on earth?”</p><p>“Help you pack for your new life?” he answered, remembering the empty baggage in her house. “Why do you have to leave things for the last minute? It´s stupid.”</p><p>“Well, there isn´t much to pack anyway” she said, remembering her clothes on her bed and the pictures everywhere in her living room. “We only have to put the things into the…”</p><p>“We have to select what you are going to take. I´m not against the family photos and mementos, but… your clothes and other things will have to be shorted a bit”</p><p>“Oh, how will I live without my Armani and Prada?” she joked, faking a fainting. He smiled.</p><p>They arrived to her house quickly, where they took a quick lunch before collecting her personal things from all over the house. She rolled her eyes when he insisted to have her clothes folded and organized by colours before putting them on the bag, even the ones that she wasn´t going to take. It was a little sad to see Mahtan´s things go to the charity box, but she couldn´t take all. Shouldn´t also. Other people needed that more than her or her father. But she took her parent´s rings, her mother´s jewellery and some of her father´s smallest artworks from the house, putting them on the same package as the photos.</p><p>“Do you think I could begin an art´s museum there, Fëanáro?” she asked.</p><p>“That would be a magnificent idea. I haven´t heard there was one there, it would be an innovation” they smiled at each other. And not for the first time in her life, Nerdanel asked herself why she never tried to have something with him beyond friendship. Well, they were married now, it wouldn´t matter, but…</p><p>“You know, I always wondered why you didn´t make a pass at me when we were younger” the redhead finally said, gathering the courage to start that conversation. “I mean, you asked me to the dance when we both missed high school and other things, but… we weren´t a couple for some reason.”</p><p>“I… always thought that you considered me only a friend” he admitted, not wanting to lie to her. “You have prospects much better than me and I have always known I was friendzoned…”</p><p>“You weren´t friendzoned, I actually expected you for a long time to go after me, but… you never answered my messages the way I thought so… I thought you weren´t interested” Nel continued. “It never crossed your mind that I might like socially awkward geniuses?” </p><p>“No, never” he answered. “And you knew that I am a disaster with nonverbal communication.”</p><p>“Yes, you are” they laughed again. “Would you… would you still be open to make this marriage from a sham to a… real relationship?”</p><p>“Oh, I would love that”</p><p>“Then, would you like me to… kiss you?”</p><p>“Sure” they kissed. Awkwardly at first, then it became ardent. Fëanor, much to his surprise, found that he liked it. A lot. Nerdanel too seemed to enjoy it, because she started to touch him. He pulled away before it went too far. </p><p>“Shouldn´t we be knowing each other before doing that?”</p><p>“Fëanáro, we knew each other since we were in diapers. Do you really think there is something of you I don´t already know?”</p><p>“No” they kissed again.</p><p>-The next day-</p><p>“Sorry for the delay, we needed to finish with the baggage” Fëanor said, putting the baggage on the transport line. Finwë didn´t say anything, just nodded with a smile on his face. “So… did they started boarding without us?”</p><p>“Yes, but you weren´t so late. We are just the tenth last family to board” the patriarch guided them to where Indis and her children were waiting. “Let´s go” they got their chips scanned and entered the transborder. “Now, where the decontamination process start?”</p><p>“Decontamination?” Nerdanel asked, confused. “I thought we were going to go directly to our rooms.”</p><p>“No, we have decontamination first” her husband explained, patting her hand. “Sorry, dear, but we couldn´t let sickness from earth infect the new planet, it could be fatal to all live forms. So we get sanitized first… then we have pulmonary therapy, to threat the effects of many years breathing dust of the atmosphere.”</p><p>“How long does that take?”</p><p>“It´s a long and uncomfortable procedure, so we are going to be in an induced come while it happens” he assured her. They arrived in that moment at the shower place, where they scrubbed themselves completely clean with different disinfectants before landing themselves in the medical facilities. “Sweet dreams, dear”</p><p>“Sweet dreams to you too” Fëanor answered as he closed his wife´s capsule, letting the treatment begin. He then turned to his father. “She and I…”</p><p>“Don´t be embarrassed son, I know what happens on a honeymoon. I had two, you know” Finwë said. His son grimaced. “I won´t berate you for having some good bye sex with your wife.”</p><p>“Thank you”</p><p>“But… I thought you might want to talk…”</p><p>“The opposite, in fact” Fëanor answered, entering his capsule. “Sweet dreams, father.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you have enjoyed this!! Next chapter will be up as soon as work allows me. Meanwhile, please, review!!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Good morning” Fëanor said as Nerdanel finally woke up. She put a hand over her chest, feeling some sort of pain in it. “Yes, it feels strange at the beginning, but you will get used to it. All the passengers eventually do” the raven helped her out. “Now we have to report ourselves to the reunion´s area, to have works assigned to us.”</p><p>“Works?”</p><p>“A preparation for when we arrive to the colony. Graduates like us go directly to planation, teenagers to high school and children to primary one. Great, because we will find ourselves with a lot of time alone together, something we will need a lot when we got forced to live with my family.”</p><p>“Eager to get rid of Fingolfin and Finarfin?”</p><p>“Eager to get our own house” he answered, guiding her to where the professionals were gathering. She got assigned with the architects to work on their own projects for the city they were supposed to build in the new planet.</p><p>“This is an unorthodox design for a coastal city” one of her co-workers said, taking a peek at her plot. “Why are you making it?”</p><p>“It´s between my husband and I´s plans to open an arts museum in the new planet” Nel answered, making another line. “You see, my father was an artist and I packed up some of his smallest artworks. I was planning to exhibit them once we arrived to the colony… maybe making my own?”</p><p>“It´s a great plan, I haven´t heard of any other art museum in the commercials about the colony” she showed her own work to the redhead. “It beat my hostel idea without a doubt. Tell me, is your husband an artist too or he has other line of work?”</p><p>“He is a space ingeneer, even worked in this same ship”</p><p>“Oh… is there a big age difference between you and him?”</p><p>“No, he is… just a genius” suddenly the whole station was shaken. Nerdanel picked herself from the ground, grabbing her table and plot. “What the hell was that?” another tremor shook the place. “What…?”</p><p>“NEL!!!” Fëanor entered running, grabbing her and practically dragging her out of the working place. She looked at him in confusion, then terror when the place shook again. And an alarm sounded in all the place. “There, it´s the evacuation signal. We have to go to the room.”</p><p>“The room?”</p><p>“It´s a emergency escape pod too, I designed it that way. For practicality´s sake” he rolled his eyes. “That doesn´t matter, we have to leave. Everybody is being instructed to come here, so it would be a chaos before… where the hell is my father?! I told him to come here as soon as the first tremor was felt!!”</p><p>“And your siblings?”</p><p>“I don´t know, the zones of the transborder are designed to close when one is damaged to get us more time to escape. The primary and high school are not blocked yet, but… I don´t know, they might need to find another way.”</p><p>“What other way? Fëanáro!!”</p><p>“There are a few simpler escape pods in every section that open to every ship, they will be fine!!” he assured. Finwë arrived on that moment, dragging Indis behind him. Followed by a great number of scared people, might he add. <br/>“Get inside, we need to launch this thing before…”</p><p>“Of course not!! We need to wait for your brothers!!”</p><p>“We don´t have much time!! The structure has been compromised!! Even with the compartmentation, the transborder won´t last long in this condition. We need to get into the ship and…”</p><p>“I am the head of the family and I decide what we do” Finwë opposed his son. “You designed this ship, which means you know that it needs the head codes to launch. And I´m the only one that has them.”</p><p>“Father, you can´t…”</p><p>“We are waiting for them”</p><p>“This is madness” Fëanor said. “Where the hell are they?”</p><p>-Few minutes earlier-</p><p>Anairë was having a very good day until she passed through the high school to get to the space door. Yes, maybe she should be with them, being fifteen as most and everything, but that wasn´t the sort of live she had. She was a mechanic… technically. Well, her father was a mechanic and he sort of sneaked her into the ship. You know, all the earth was dying and she needed breathable air and everything… well, that wasn´t the problem. After all, her dad taught her all she needed to know and the company benefit greatly from having a free extra mechanic, so they ignored her. Anyway, she was going on her own business when…</p><p>“Hey, who are you?” Fingolfin Finwion saw her and started to follow her around, trying to chat her up. “Are you skipping classes like me? I mean, my father already has his genius and he is nothing but trouble, so I don´t see why I couldn´t…”</p><p>“Can you shut your mouth up?” she finally exploded, keeping her voice down so none of the passengers notice her. The biggies in the company wouldn´t take it good for an employer to talk to a client that way. It would cause her dad trouble. “I´m working, leave me alone.”</p><p>“You are working?” he was surprised. “But you are my age!!”</p><p>“Yes, that seems to be the fashion this days. Everything to get out of that dying rock” the girl said, locking at her wrist. She was already late, better get… a shake nearly dropped her to the ground. Followed by other, and other… and the alarm went off. “Evacuation. You need to get to your pod.”</p><p>“Where the hell is that pod?!!”</p><p>“I don´t know!! The mechanics have their pods in another place!!” she said, sounding a little bit desperate. Well, the mechanic´s pod was in a zone that was probably blocked by the compartment system by now, so she needed to… “You know where your room is? Then go there and leave me to think on how to repair that!!”</p><p>“No time, look” Nolofinwë pointed through the window at the big gap that appeared in one section of the transborder. And the little, black things that seemed to be shooting at their ship and… and humanoid things that apparently were boarding them. “We are under attack.”</p><p>“Under attack?! Who would attack us?! We are the only hope of humanity to…”</p><p>“I don´t think they are human” </p><p>“Then what are they?” </p><p>“Whatever they are, I don´t want to meet them” the boy suddenly grasped her hand, dragging her towards a section she has never visited before. It was the VIP (what the mechanics called the passengers´ rooms). Anairë then understood what he wanted and started struggling. She needed… she needed to get to her dad and…</p><p>“Hey, let me go!!”</p><p>“Don´t be stupid, there is no way you are saving this place or arrive at the section your co-workers are!!” he screamed, dragging her more forcefully. It was like that that they arrived to Finwë´s pod. His father looked at him an surprise as he pushed the girl into the pod, entering behind her and blocking her path. </p><p>“Let me out, I have to…”</p><p>“Come on, I´m saving your life by doing this…”</p><p>“Fingolfin, where is Finarfin?” his father finally asked. Nolo only managed to look to the ground, as he had no idea where his youngest brother was. “So, you brought a complete stranger into the pod, but you didn´t think of your brother who might have been in the continuous room? How could you?!”</p><p>“I was not in school, okay? I thought that he might already be here” the teen got up. “Don´t worry, I will go to find him and…”</p><p>“Is there a need to remind you that we have to go NOW?” Fëanor said, talking for the first time in hours from the pilot´s seat. Anairë tried to use his intervention to escape, but the boy continued to block her path. “The transborder is not going to stand much longer with such a damage…”</p><p>“It wasn´t just a damage, it was an attack” his brother explained. “That´s why dad and I are going to go and search for Finarfin…”</p><p>“There is no need!” Finwë said as he saw his youngest son appear in the midst of the running people. The blond boy rushed into the pod so fast that his father closed the door without finding out he had brought a guest himself. “Finarfin, what the…?!”</p><p>“She is my friend!! And she couldn´t find her parents!! I told her she could come with us, that we would help her!!” he said, letting go of the girl. “The way to the wing her family was in was blocked, we are Earwën´s only option…”</p><p>“Now we are a rescue mission?”</p><p>“Shut it, Fëanáro!!”</p><p>“Arafinwë, don´t talk like that to your brother” Finwë ordered, ending up all the conversations. He then sat down on the co-pilot seat and entered his security codes. “And you, Curufinwë” he turned to his eldest. “Try to be less hostile to our guests. You got what you wanted, after all. Now get us out of here before something else happens.”</p><p>“Right away” Fëanor grabbed the controls, using his best skills to get them out of there while dodging the enemy ships, debris, many more things… all while the people around him complained and fought between them.</p><p>“You don´t understand, I have to leave, find my father and…”</p><p>BOOOM!!! On their backs, the transborder exploded, leaving everybody dumbfounded. Just how many people were still there? How many colonials, workers, doctors… so many, probably. Everybody was devastated. Anairë in particular took it hard, as she was sure her father was still there. She let herself fall to the ground, immobile. Indis, who was a silent shadow in the cabin, covered both Earwën´s and Finarfin´s eyes, shielding them from the horror.</p><p>“Dammit, this has no end” Fëanor said, biting his lip. No matter where he went, those ships always followed them. <br/>“Okay, time for a last resort.”</p><p>“Last resort?”</p><p>“You really don´t think that I didn´t equipped my own pod with some extra toys?” the engineer mocked with a big smile on his face, making the ship develop some sort of big dart or torpedo. “Checkmate”</p><p>“You put weapons on our new house?!”</p><p>“For emergencies like this!!” he launched it at the first dark ship he could see. It didn´t explode, just… latched itself to it.</p><p>“Great weapon” mocked Fingolfin.</p><p>“The greatest” he started to write something in his computer, hoping that knowledge of earthly electronics would be enough to hack an alien spaceship. It apparently was, at least when he started to understand the meaning of some letters. </p><p>“The propellers were hit!!” Nolo screamed. “Get us out of here!!”</p><p>“Trying” finally, he was able to give the ship a command, but… it wasn´t what he wanted. Or what anyone wanted. “Wrong command”</p><p>“You think?!!” the scream coincided with a big wormhole opening in the horizon, sucking in thousands of ships, white and black. “We are going to crash!!!”</p><p>“Get sucked, not crash!!”</p><p>“And that´s better?!!!”</p><p>“Somehow!!” Fëanor screamed, grabbing the controls again. “Prepare yourselves, it´s going to be a rocky path!!!”</p><p>-Some time later-</p><p>“Hummmm, what the hell hit me?” Fëanáro asked, rubbing his head as he picked it from the table. Near him, his family members and their two guests were starting to pick themselves up from their places of crashing. “Not my best work, but we will manage. As soon as I can repair the engine…”</p><p>“You? Repair something?” Anairë said, finally getting herself from the ground. She was sad and depressed and raging… but she needed to be strong. Her dad taught her that in situations like this, she had to work to survive. Besides, she wasn´t sure that he was still on the ship when it exploded. He could have gotten out, right? She had to survive to see him again. And she will. “Excuse me, but you don´t seem the type to build things.”</p><p>“Excuse me? I´m an engineer! I designed the whole transborder!!”</p><p>“That thing that just exploded? Great work, genius” she clapped as the eldest finwion gritted his teeth. “And before you say something, I know you have to be the genius of geniuses to design that thing, but repairing something in zero gravity is not something everybody can do. You simply don´t have the training to do it.”</p><p>“Then who will?”</p><p>“I” Anairë said, making all eyes land on him. “Maybe I don´t look much like it, but I´m a zero gravity mechanic. If there are pieces on board, I can fix that engine so it can take us anywhere instead of staying in the middle of nowhere.”</p><p>“You…”</p><p>“Fëanáro” Nerdanel intervened in that moment, exiting the room she took refuge in. “you should do as she says. You have never been in space, you don´t know how to do things in such conditions…”</p><p>“I have done many manipulations in simulations…”</p><p>“But simulations are not reality. She has field experience, Fëanor” she grabbed her husband´s arm. “Please, let her do her job or at least earn her keep. That way she can repay us for saving her life.”</p><p>“I don´t need to repay you, stalker over there practically kidnap me, but… I would be eager to help, even if it´s just to… earn my keep. And meanwhile, you can tell us why you weren´t surprised that those aliens appeared to attack our ship” the other opened his eyes wide in surprise. “You didn´t seem surprised when they appeared, which means that you already jnew they were there.”</p><p>“Fëanáro, what…”</p><p>“I didn´t know for sure, only… didn´t know what to do with the information” the raven sighed. “Some time ago, I started to notice that the directives were sending transborders to the trash. Perfectly usable transborders and they were throwing the away” he shook his head. “suspected, hacked their system to know and find that those transborders were not being thrown, their last audios signalled that they were attacked.”</p><p>“So you made mayor modification on the pods and the ship.”</p><p>“Of course, everything for the safety of all the passengers on the ship” the man moved his shoulders. “They must have been enough to assure the survival of the passengers and crew.”</p><p>“Then why are we not in the colony, save?” Fingolfin added.</p><p>“It´s something I will have to find out after she repairs the engine” the engineer said, looking at the mechanic with a distasteful face. “Now, there are extra pieces inside a secret compartment on the floor. I store them for emergencies.”</p><p>“This is definitely an emergency” Finwë nodded. “do you know where those ships that attacked us came from?”</p><p>“No, but… I´m not sure I want to know.”</p><p>-In another galaxy-</p><p>“Good day, my lord” a tall redhead with pointy ears, dressed in all red and with all kind of jewellery, entered the chambers of a dark haired person. His chest was illuminated with the image of an eye. “Did you rest well? May I instruct the servants that you are taking your breakfast here or…”</p><p>“Why the formalities, Mairon? You haven´t talked like that since the first time I made you scream in my bed” the dark figure emerged from the covers, his inky black hair covering his face entirely. “Why are you waking me up so early?”</p><p>“It´s the middle of Laurelin´s light, Melkor, it´s exceptionally late” Mairon, the redhead, answered, twisting one of his locks with a finger. “Besides, your brother´s herald has been sighted in the pathway to Angband” the dark lord cursed, getting out of bed entirely. “Seems Mawë is getting more and more interested in you lately, maybe even suspecting that you might be involved in some nefarious plot.”</p><p>“And here I thought that we managed to evade their eyes when we moved a continent away. Guess family troubles never go away” Melkor slipped in a dark coloured tunic, going for the breaches next. “He must be starting to suspect me.”</p><p>“My lord, it´s very difficult not to suspect you. Especially from Mawë´s perspective” the lieutenant said, approaching. “Cheer up, Gothmog and I have already hidden everything that could be considered reprehensible or criminal from your brother´s little soldier. And Tevildo blocked the access to the labs discreetly.”</p><p>“Is that a way to make me feel better?”</p><p>“No, but, after you get rid of Eonwë, we can have our own private party. You, me and the thousands of prisoners the orcs are going to bring us.” They smiled at each other with cruelty. “It´s great when we have new incomes, no?”</p><p>“Without a doubt” Melkor got up. “I already want to see the kind of orcs they are going to make when we are through with them.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello!! Hope you like it. Review!!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Like I said, I love science fiction.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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